Nail coating stencil



'Nov. 2,1, 1939. -F. F. I-IIAMILTON HAL 2,180,519

NAIL COATING STENCIL Filed June 50, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l fnuenzor fiancrls [790777272077 @Zfiur fr" A 41270144125 2,

Nov. 21, 1939. F. F. HAMILTCN ET AL 2.180519 NAIL COATING STENCIL Filed June 30, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 21, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Miami ,Fla.

Application June 30, 1938, Serial No. 216,771

16 Claims.

This invention relates to means for controlling the extent of application of coatings to finger nails and the like and has for a primary object the provision of means whereby the coating may be applied quickly without covering the moon of the nail. Further means may be provided as a guard along the edges of the nail to prevent the coating from spreading onto the adjacent skin.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a very simple and yet efiicient structure for the purpose above indicated so that the structure may be made in quantity at a relatively low price for widespread distribution.

A still further important object of the invention is to provide such a structure which will be extremely easy to operate and control and yet may be positive in its action so that the coating may be applied rapidly as may be required in beauty parlors and the like.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those versed in'the art in the following description of the invention as described in relation to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front perspective of a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 2, a like view of the same form in an operated position;

Fig. 3, a. plan view of a nail cover;

Fig. 4, a side elevation in partial section of a further modified form;

Fig. 5, a top plan view; and

Fig. 6, a front elevation.

Likecharacters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

Referring now to that form of the invention as illustrated in Figs. 1-3, a more complete device is shown in that not only is the moon covered over but side guards are provided as well. In this form a pair of clamp members [5 and ii are hinged one to the other by the pin ll toward either upper ends and these clamp members are bowed outwardly one from the other to form a bore therethrough to receive the finger or member carrying the nail which is to be coated. These clamp members carry the upper ears l8 and I9 above the hinge pin II as means to be gripped in order to open the clamp members in order to engage them about the finger, as indicated in Fig. 2. A spring 20 normally urges these clamp members into a closed position one against the other, as

indicated in Fig. 1. This spring in the form herein shown is of the torsional type surrounding the pin I1 and having its respective ends bearing against the ears I! and I9 respectively.

The nail guard in this form of the invention consists of an elastic band 2| which has its end secured to the respective members l5 and i6 by any suitable means such as by turning over a piece of metal 22 to engage the ends of the band 5 near the rear edges of the clamps. This band 2| is so proportioned as to length that as the clamp members l5 and 16 are spread apart to engage the finger, this band will be stretched somewhat down over the nail so as to cover over the nail 10 moon or at least define a moon shape at the base of the nail so that when the nail is coated, this covered over portion will be left uncoated. In order that the band 2i may be be-ter located, an elastic strip 23 extends forwardly from the central portion of the band 2! and engages an end of the hinge pin N. This strip 23 is of such a length that it normally holds the band 2| above a horizontal position so that when the clamp members l5 and iii are spread apart, the band 20 2| will tend to straighten out into a horizontal position but be restrained by the strip 23. This band is preferably made out of rubber as is also the strip 23.

In this same form of the invention, an added 25 feature is to be found in that each .clamp member l5 and I6 carries respectively a cuticle guard 24 and 25. These guards in each instance are formed by carrying a strip of metal integrally from the clamp and twisting it around from the 30 clamp into substantially horizontal disposed planes, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, to have these guards in parallel alignment. These guards are so formed and spaced in relation to their clamp members l5 and it that when the nail guard is 5 engaged over the end of the finger to have the band 2| properly positioned on the nail to define the uncoated moon area, these guards 24 and 25 will then lie along the side boundary edges of the nailto cover over the cuticle therealong sothat when 4 the lacquer or other coating employed is painted on the nail, these guards will prevent that coating from coming into contact with the bounding cuticle. Since the guards are spread apart as the clamp members are opened, they will automati- 45 cally adjust themselves to the nail of the finger on i which the device is clamped, the guards coming closer together for a narrow finger and, of course, being spread further apart for a thicker finger.

Referring now'to the second form of the in- 50 vention as illustrated in Figs. 4-6, a support is formed to comprise, in the present form as shown,

a pair of side plates 26 and 21 in the nature of supporting legs with outturned flanges or feet 28 and .29. integrally extending from the top edges 55 of these plates 26 and 21 therebetween is a floor 30, this floor being sloped downwardly from the top edge of each plate into a central longitudinal depression therebetween.

A yoke 3| straddles the upper ends of the plates 26 and 21 to be hinged thereto by any suitable means such as by the pin 32. This yoke 3| carries a nail contacting member 33 on its forward side so that when a finger or like member carrying the nail to be coated is placed upon the floor 30, the yoke 3| may be rocked into the dash line position as indicated in Fig. 4, to bring the contacting member 33 over the base of the nail (or tip if desired) by simply rocking the yoke 3| forwardly and pressing it downwardly. Preferably this contacting member 33 which is curved to follow the normal contourof the nail carries a resilient pad 34 made out of any suitable material such as rubber. Not only does this resilient material provide for a resilient contact against the nail to prevent scratching, but it also serves as an effective seal to prevent the lacquer or other coating material employed from running back under the member 33. The yoke 3| is preferably provided with an operating finger piece 35 as a matter of convenience.

The forward end of the floor 30 is preferably cut away adjacent the respective plates 26 and 21 to leave a forwardly extending central portion of the floor between the cut away parts. From the rear end of the floor 30 is carried integrally (although not necessarily so) a tongue 36 to be bent downwardly and around and under the floor to be carried centrally thereof and to extend outwardly beyond the front ends of the respective plates 26 and 21. From one side of this tongue 36 at a location within the plates 26 and 21, a flexible arm 31 is carried outwardly and upwardly and around in a curving manner to carry a longitudinally disposed cuticle guard 38 above the floor 30. In the same manner a like arm 33 extends from the other side of the tongue 36 to curve around therefrom to carry another cuticle guard 40 on its upper end in parallel relation to and at the same elevation of the first cuticle guard 38.

The normal position of the tongue 36 is such I that the tongue will have to be lifted to provide clearance for insertion of the nail carrying member under these guards 33 and 40 when that member is placed on the fioor 30. The normal elasticity of the bend of thetong'ue 36 from the floor 30 will permit lifting of the tongue and a compressive engagement of these guards 38 and 40 against the cuticle along the edges of the nail when the tongue is released, as indicated in the dash lines in Fig. 4. Of course, additional pressure may be secured between these guards and the cuticle by pressing downwardly on the outer end of the tongue 36. In any event the downwardly moving action of the tongue 36 will tend to push the cuticle outwardly from the nail to permit the guards 38 and 40 to seat snugly along the edges of the nail so as to prevent the coating when being applied to the nail from coming into contact with the cuticle. Since the arms 31 and 39 are flexible, the guards 38 and 40 will tend to spread apart laterally as the tongue 36 is carried downwardly either by its own inherent resilience or by applying pressure.

While we have herein shown and described our invention in the best forms as now known to us, it is obvious that structural changes may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, and we, therefore, do not desire to be limited to those precise forms beyond the limitations as may be imposed by the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a nail coating guard, a body having a bore therethrough to receive a nail carrying member for alignment, a nail contacting member shaped to limit the extent of the pattern of coating desired on the nail, and means for yieldingly retaining the contacting member against the nail, said body comprising a pair of clamp members defining said bore therebetween and hinged and normally swung together by a spring, and said contacting member comprising an elastic band interconnected with the clamp members to be stretched therebetween upon separation of the clamp members, whereby those clamp members may engage the nail carrying member and have said band stretched over the nail.

2. In a nail coating guard, a body having a bore therethrough to receive a nail carrying member "for alignment, a nail contacting member shaped to limit the extent of the pattern of coating desired on the nail, and means for yieldingly retaining the contacting member against the nail, said body comprising a pair of clamp members defining said bore therebetween and hinged and normally swung together by a spring, and said contacting member comprising an elastic band interconnected with the clamp members to be stretched therebetween upon separation of the clamp members, whereby those clamp members may engage the nail carrying member and have said band stretched over the nail, and a tie member extending centrally from said band to the hinge of said members as means aiding in locating the band on the nail.

3. In a nail coating guard, a body having a bore therethrough to receive a nail carrying member for alignment, a nail contacting member removably secured to the body shaped to limit the extent of the pattern of coating desired on the nail and tipped with rubber, and means for yieldingly retaining the contacting member against the nail, and a cuticle guard extending from the body along each side of the nail.

4. In a nail coating guard, a body comprising a pair of clamp members hinged and normally urged together by a spring and defining a bore therebetween to receive in a clamping manner a nail carrying member, a nail contacting member carried by the body to limit the extent of coating on the nail, and a cuticle guard carried by each clamp member to extend over the cuticle on each nail side.

5. In a nail coating guard, a body comprising a pair of clamp members hinged and normally urged together by a spring and defining a bore therebetween to receive in a clamping manner a nail carrying member, a nail contacting member carried by the body to limit the extent of coating on the nail, and a cuticle guard carried by each clamp member to extend over the cuticle on each nail side, said nail contacting member consisting of an elastically extensible band secured to said clamp members across the upper outer end of said bore substantially at the inner ends of said cuticle guards.

6. In a nail coating guard, a body comprising a pair of clamp members hinged and normally urged together by a spring and defining a bore therebetween to receive in a clamping manner a nail carrying member, a nail contacting member carried by the body to limit the extent of coating on the nail, and a cuticle guard carried by 40 ing member hingedly carriedby said means to on each nail side, said nail contacting member consisting of an elastically extensible band secured to said clamp members across the upper outer end of said bore substantially at the inner ends of said cuticle guards, said clamp members each carrying an ear above said hinge as means for spreading apart those members and locating the body on said nail carrying member.

7. In a nail coating guard, supporting means, a floor carried by'the means on which a nail carrying member may rest, and a nail contacting member hingedly carried by said means to swing toward said floor to contact the nail, said contacting member being shaped to define the desired uncoated pattern on the nail.

8. In a nail coating guard, supporting means, a floor carried by the means on which a nail carrying member may rest, and a nail contacting member hingedly carried by said means to swing toward said floor to contact the nail, said contacting member being shaped to define the desired uncoated pattern on the nail, and an elastic cover on said contacting member to present a yielding contact against the nail.

9. In a nail coating guard, supporting means, a floor carried by the means on which a nail carrying member may rest, and a nail contactiing member hingedly carried by said means to swing toward said floor to contact the nail, said contacting member being shaped to define the desired uncoated pattern on the nail, a pair of cuticle guards, and a tongue under said floor carrying said guards in laterally spaced apart relation to have the guards normally positioned above the floor, said tongue being arranged to be depressed to lower said guards.

10. In a nail coating guard, supporting means, a floor carried by the means'lon which a nail carrying member may rest," a nd a nail contactswing toward said 'floor 'to' contact the nail, said contacting member being shaped to define the desired uncoatedpattern onthe nail, a pair of cuticleguards, andg'a tongue ,under said fioor carrying said guards in laterally spaced apart relation to have the guards normally positioned above the floor, said tongue'being arranged to be depressed to lower said guards, said tongue being an integral part of said floor bent around from the rear end of the floor and extending forwardly thereunder.

11. In anail coating guard, supporting means, a floor carried ,by the means on which a nail carrying member may rest, and a nail contacting member hingedly carried by said means to swing toward said floor to contact the nail. said contacting member being shaped to define the desired uncoated pattern on the nail, a pair of cuticle guards, and a tongue under said floorcarrying said guards in laterally spaced apart relation to have the guards normally positioned above the floor, said tongue being arranged to be.

depressed to lower said guards, said guards being carried by said tongue on elastic fingers whereby, as the guards contact the nail carrying member on the floor, said guards may spread apart laterally to push the cuticle away from the nail edges.

12. In a nail coating guard, a nail carrying .member rest, a nail contacting member shiftable into position against the nail to cover over that Y nail portion to remain uncoated, a pair of cuticle guards, and means for urging the guards against the cuticle along each side of the nail.

13. In a nail coating guard, a nail carrying member rest, a nail contacting member shiftable into position against the nail to cover over that nail portion to remain uncoated, a pair of cuticle guards, and means for urging the guards against the cuticle along each side of the nail, said guards being arranged to tend to spread apart as they are urged against the cuticle.

14. In a nail coating guard, a pair of metal members, one on each lateral side of a nail carrying member, means connecting said metal members, a pair of cuticle guards, means connecting said guards for support from the metal members, and a nail contacting member shaped to limit the extent of the coating on the nail, said nail contacting member having a rubber tip.

15. In a nail coating guard, a pair of metal members, one on each lateral side of a nail carrying member, means connecting said metal members, a pair of cuticle guards, means connecting said guards for support from the metal members, and a nail contacting member shaped to limit the extent of the coating on the nail, and bands comprising a yoke secured at their ends to the metal members and supporting the nail contacting member.

16. In a nail coating guard, a pair of metal members, one on each lateral side of a nail carrying member, means connecting said metal members, a pair of cuticle guards, means connecting said guards for support from the metal members, and a nail contacting member shaped to limit the extent of the coating on the nail, and bands comprising a yoke secured at their. ends to the metal members and supporting the nail contacting member, said nail contacting member having a rubber tip.

FRANCIS F. HAMILTON. ARTHUR R. LUNDQUIST.

Gil 

